THE OFF DUTY HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE 50 Rare Finds

Lisel Ashlock

THE OFF DUTY HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE 50 Rare Finds

No one desperately wants to unwrap sad, ordinary socks. Or a ballpoint pen. This holiday, we’ve hunted down 50 true unicorn presents— from one-of-a-kind buys to handmade originals, rich with idiosyncrasy

Published
Nov. 29, 2017

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The Walls Have Eyes

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

The Walls Have Eyes

Peacocks have always relied on colorful plumage to impress special someones, and now you can, too, albeit for a price that reaches heights a flightless bird never could. This wallpaper from Schumacher is bedecked with dozens of shimmering eye-spotted peacock feathers—all naturally shed but not exactly found in bulk. Giving a loved one enough to cover a feature wall would make for an undeniably bold gifting move, once you’ve ensured your intended is receptive. Peacock Ore Wallcovering, 38-inch-by-10-foot panel, $18,000 made to order, fschumacher.com

Growth Incentives

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

Growth Incentives

Make a picky horticulturist happy with these Dutch gardening tools from Sneeboer, available in only six brick-and-mortar stores in the U.S. Cockily guaranteed for life, each implement is hand-forged of stainless steel (they’re really sharp), finished with cherry or ash handles and balanced so wrists don’t get achy. Landscape rock stars such as the Netherlands’ Piet Oudolf, who designed New York’s High Line park, call them the best tools in the world. “It’s the craftsmanship,” he said. Garden Hand Tools, from $29, sneeboerusa.com—Cynthia Kling

A Throwback Bag

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

A Throwback Bag

Any Hermès handbag is already pretty rarefied, but this one has a particularly singular feature: a clasp whose silvery enclosed-in-a-circle H design was drawn from deep within the brand’s archives: It was inspired by a print on silky shirtdresses in Hermès’ spring 1970 collection. The purse—a new, small, elegant daybag known as the 2002—is itself a reissue of a style from 1972. The ideal recipient: A woman who wants a design that’s less showy than the bold-and-boxy Kelly bag and more ladylike than the uber-cool Birkin and who secretly wishes she could travel back in time, say to D.C.’s Watergate Hotel in its high-glam, early-’70s heyday. $10,800, Hermès, 212-308-3585

Grade-A Eggs

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

Grade-A Eggs

There are chefs who raise their own honey, mill their own flour, make their own cheese—and now, harvest their own caviar. Chef Matthew Accarrino of SPQR in San Francisco handpicks, cures and cans his ACCA sturgeon caviar in partnership with Deborah Keane of California Caviar Company. The nutty roe is equal parts custardy and firm, and deftly seasoned, as one would expect from a chef. $110 for 1 ounce, californiacaviar.com—Gabriella Gershenson

A Rare Alternative to the Teddy Bear

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

A Rare Alternative to the Teddy Bear

In the icy waters of the Arctic lives the narwhal, a mysterious creature both mythic and entirely real. First dubbed a “sea unicorn” by medieval travelers, the behemoth with a spiral tusk is no ordinary swimmer. Enchanted by the narwhal’s whimsical form, Tamar Mogendorff captured it in soft hanging sculptures of silky linen—a stuffed animal for the little one who’s totally over teddy bears. $320, modaoperandi.com—Lauren Ingram

The Gift of Isolation

David De Vleeschauwer

The Gift of Isolation

If Iceland seems too commonplace for the adventurer in your life, consider still-raw-as-can-be Greenland. Better yet, book an overnight excursion to its mountainous northern hinterlands in March or April. Guests arrive by sled, pulled by huskies, near the town of Sisimiut, and bed down in the cabin of an amiable hunter named Henning Frisk. Those who wish to can join Mr. Frisk hunting for grouse, snow hare and musk ox—but bundle up. Temperatures can drop to minus 25. From $790 per person for a two-day tour; from $1,190 for a two-day hunting trip; greenland-guide.dk/sisimiut—Debbie Pappyn

A Uniquely Charming Necklace

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

A Uniquely Charming Necklace

There’s an allure to the antique buttons, earthy stones and oceanic keepsakes on Irish designer Grainne Morton’s jewelry. A collector of wee treasures, Ms. Morton tracks down unique objects to star in her compositions. For this 9-piece charm necklace, a Victorian pearl button with delicate turquoise inlay (one of only 5 available) served as the centerpiece. Her trove of curiosities is admirably curious, but you can also supply her with mementos to make a customized gift. $830, grainnemorton.co.uk—Lauren Ingram

An Unparalleled Serving Platter

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

An Unparalleled Serving Platter

Is it a sculpture or a serving tray? One thing is sure: Even the most elaborately outfitted host won’t have anything remotely like it already stashed in the sideboard. The three-tier bronze base by Los Angeles sculptor Chuck Moffit comes topped with a removable wooden board crafted by the late master woodworker Arthur Espenet—a dramatic perch for a cheese plate during the holidays or some other, duller month. Mr. Moffit explained that each casting produces a unique form that “kind of elevates the tray to a trophy you can use.” Offering Serving Tray, $1,850, Fair Design, 212-352-9615—Eleanore Park

Sui Generis Jeans

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

Sui Generis Jeans

Jeans are jeans are jeans, except at A.P.C., the Parisian label helmed by Jean Touitou, where they’re occasionally something akin to a Jackson Pollock canvas. The talented Mr. Touitou and his design team personally splash, drip and spray pairs of the brand’s raw denim Butler jeans with acrylic paints—the drippier, the better. What began as a splashy way to mark A.P.C.’s 30th anniversary has become a coveted item—put it on your wish list or snag one for a gift—as Mr. Touitou will only make a few each year. $370, A.P.C., 212-966-9685—Jacob Gallagher

A Most Advantageous Electric Bike

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal

A Most Advantageous Electric Bike

Two things city dwellers desire: a low-effort commute and a bit more space to themselves. Tern’s Vektron S10—one of the world’s most compact electric bikes—is an expeditious way to give them both. Its German-engineered Bosch drivetrain sends riders more than 60 miles on a single charge, and the bike can be folded in about 10 seconds to fit under a desk. If the weather turns malevolent, its lightweight frame is semi-painlessly carried home on the subway. $3,400, store.ternbicycles.com

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Whiff of Genius

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

Whiff of Genius

In this bottle no bigger than a wine cork, the self-professed “perfume nerds” at Régime des Fleurs have mixed more than a hundred ingredients into Floralia, an unusually authentic floral scent. Instead of using the synthetic ingredients found in most fragrances, it features small-batch extracts of iris, tuberose, gardenia absolute and fleeting cherry essence. The Roman goddess Flora would approve. $515, regimedesfleurs.com—Lauren Ingram

The World's Most Remote Island

Bernard Pronost for The Wall Street Journal

The World's Most Remote Island

Tristan da Cunha, a green speck in the South Atlantic, is sure to impress even jaded globe-trotters. The British territory is said to be Earth’s most remote inhabited place, nearly a week away by sea from either Africa or South America. To stay a spell, you’ll need to charter a yacht for you and your lucky travel buddy, or hitch a ride aboard a cargo ship, then ask permission from island officials to stay in a guesthouse (tristandc.com). Easier: Drop in for a late-January day trip via a shore excursion from luxury liner Seabourn’s Rio to Cape Town voyage (seabourn.com).—Matthew Kronsberg

No Ordinary Glove

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

No Ordinary Glove

Surprise your baseball-mad dad with a new mitt that’s good enough for the pros but made just for him. Every inch and element of this Rawlings glove can be tailored, from the position style to the leather, shell, strap, webbing, color, lacing, embroidery and more. Once you’ve updated the look and feel of Dad’s old mitt, get one for yourself so he can hear the snap of his fastball again and enjoy the chance to humble you. From $230, customgloves.rawlings.com

The Less-Expected Sweater

F. Martin Ramin/ The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

The Less-Expected Sweater

Practical people like practical presents, but here’s one way to satisfy a no-nonsense type in a subtly radical way: Give her a wear-with-everything top that has horizontal ribbing. If you’d seen as many vertically ribbed sweaters as we have, you’d appreciate how rare this heretical, soft wool knit from The Row is. The ribs are flat, fine-gauge ones, which means they retain their shape as they skim the body’s curves. Adding to this top’s simple luxury: A dolman-style cut and a creamy hue. $1,790, bergdorfgoodman.com—Rebecca Malinsky

D.I.Y. Brittle: Savory, Not Sweet

F. Martin Ramin/ The Wall Street Journal

D.I.Y. Brittle: Savory, Not Sweet

A homemade gift always stands out, and no one will guess how easy it is to make this anything-but-trite spice brittle from chef Justin Severino. (He calls it “a savory cook’s bastardization of a sweet.”) Just toast 1 tablespoon coriander or fennel seeds in a dry skillet or sauce pan until fragrant. Add ½ cup sugar and melt to a deep golden caramel. Spread onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Let cool completely, then break into small shards. Mr. Severino serves it with the award-winning charcuterie at his restaurant Cure, in Pittsburgh. This zippy brittle makes a festive addition to a cheese plate, too.

Clear Winners

F. Martin Ramin/ The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

Clear Winners

Most drinking vessels are like lackluster first dates: boring to look at with little to say. Far more engaging are these flame-worked 10-ounce prosecco glasses from Malfatti (Italian for “misshapen”). “People respond to their gestural quality,” said co-founder Jill Reynolds. Their irregular, billowing lines (no two are alike) resemble the flames that reshape the borosilicate tubes from which they’re forged. Use a pair to toast unexpected conversations and relationships between quirky individuals. $72 per pair, malfattiglass.com—Tim Gavan

Extraordinarily Rare Blends

Extraordinarily Rare Blends

Infographic proof that rareness is only found in the merest slivers of the population

A Category-Changing Whiskey

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

A Category-Changing Whiskey

Naturally, we wanted to include a rare whiskey in our guide to anti-generic gifts. And we settled on this one, as wild as it is smooth, that must be tasted to be believed—if you can find a bottle. Straight out of Alameda, Calif., St. George Single Malt Whiskey is a category changer. This year, the distillery’s 35th, a mere 771 bottles made their way into the world. The blend includes whiskeys aged 6-18 years, finished in barrels formerly used for everything from bourbon to dessert wines. $500, specialty spirit retailers— Eleanore Park

Collectible Candleholders, Reissued

David Chow for The Wall Street Journal

Collectible Candleholders, Reissued

“Birds lend themselves to design beautifully,” ceramicist Jerome Ackerman said of the lovebird candleholders he designed in 1953. He and Evelyn Ackerman (1924-2012), his partner in work and life, pioneered post-WWII California crafts with ceramics branded Jenev (an amalgam of their first names), which have become prized among collectors. Design Within Reach recently reissued six Jenev classics. But the indefatigable Mr. Ackerman himself, now 97, hand-cast these black satin-glazed porcelain candleholders in an extremely limited edition of only three pairs for the holidays. Jenev Bird Candleholders, $250 per pair, ackermanmodern.com—David A. Keeps

A Members-Only Pop-Up Hotel

Illustration by Sam Pierpoint

A Members-Only Pop-Up Hotel

Thierry Teyssier, the genie behind a desert palace-hotel in Morocco, is now trying to bottle travel’s ephemeral nature. His 700,000 Hours, a members-only pop-up-hotel experience (more substantial than our artist’s conception), will move every six months to destinations as diverse as Japan and Jamaica. The project launches next September in the Italian wine-growing region of Salento, taking over a historic palazzo. For about $1,700 a night for two, guests get all meals (by Institute Paul Bocuse-certified chefs), vineyard tours, cooking and art lessons, and fishing trips. To join the club, spring for an entrance fee starting at $2,900 per person. 700000heures.com—Susan Hack

Porsches Galore

Porsches Galore

Why top one Lexus with a cartoonishly enormous red bow when you can gift someone sundry sports cars? Porsche’s exclusive new auto club lets members use a smartphone app to set themselves up with a Cayman, Boxster, Macan or Cayenne model and swap one vehicle for another at anytime for any reason. Need a roomy SUV for a road trip? Just want the same coupe in green? Done and done. Upgrade to the “Accelerate” package for 911s and Panameras. Insurance and maintenance are included. From $2,000/month, porschepassport.com

The Classic Croc, Reinvented

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

The Classic Croc, Reinvented

In 1933, the world was introduced to a polo shirt by René Lacoste with a cute reptilian logo on it. Not much has changed about “the Crocodile”—as the ubiquitous shirt and the French tennis star are both known—until this year. What makes this version, a collaboration between Lacoste and the Parisian art collective M/M (Paris), collectible? Peer closely at the limited-edition logo, a cheeky typographic stand-in for the iconic croc—the L in Lacoste represents the beast’s tail; the E, its open maw. “It looks like an optical illusion,” said Lacoste creative director Felipe Oliveira Baptista about the whimsical logo. Result: A new, idiosyncratic unisex classic that your recipient can use to unnerve more conventional preppies. $145, lacoste.com— Kiana Cornish

My Favorite Entirely Common Thing

My Favorite Entirely Common Thing

"My cupboard is never without multiple cans of Goya black beans. I love the combination of convenience and comfort—in a soulful soup, or a side dish to spoon over rice customized with different spices, even a touch of grated dark chocolate."
—Anya von Bremzen Author of ’Paladares: Recipes From the Private Restaurants, Home Kitchens and Streets of Cuba’ (Harry N. Abrams)

A Wine With a Waiting List

David Chow for The Wall Street Journal

A Wine With a Waiting List

We could name numerous sought-after, tiny-production, superstar Cabernets from California’s Napa Valley. But the 2014 MacDonald Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon is produced in truly minute quantities. The MacDonald family sources grapes for this sumptuously styled wine from their parcel of the famed To Kalon vineyard. A mere 345 cases were produced. And there’s a waiting list of 3,000 just to get on the MacDonald Vineyards mailing list—the prerequisite for buying direct from the winery. $165 a bottle for mailing list members (and far more on the resale market), macdonaldvineyards.com—Lettie Teague

A Tackle Box To Lure Them In

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

A Tackle Box To Lure Them In

Whether the outdoors person on your list wants to fish for trout or compliments, this Richard Wheatley tackle box should reliably lure him or her in. The 10 limited-edition boxes of black anodized aluminum feature 96 flies hand-tied by the Dette Fly Shop in Roscoe, N.Y., for these sets. In case your giftee battles self-doubt, the lid is engraved with the phrase “Be Optimistic.” $598, bestmadeco.com

More Proof Japan Knows Best

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

More Proof Japan Knows Best

Your brother-in-law, the avid cook, doesn’t need another skillet. How about a cooking vessel that will really raise his temperature? The Fukkura-san by Toiro Kitchen is a cross between a Moroccan tagine and a donabe, the Japanese all-purpose ceramic pot. Each one is handmade, a two-week process, with clay from Japan’s Iga region, which provides superb heat retention. Use this pot for everything from steaming to stir-frying; you can set it directly on the heating element, and it’s handsome enough to go from stove to table. The deep lid even doubles as a serving bowl. $130, toirokitchen.com— Eleanore Park

A Way to Make Dinner Parties Less Rare

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

A Way to Make Dinner Parties Less Rare

Increasingly rare? Dinner parties. “One of the main reasons to throw [one] is to make a typical week atypical,” write Rico Gagliano and Brendan Francis Newnam In their new book “Brunch is Hell.” The authors—familiar to fans of the podcast and public radio show the Dinner Party Download—further assert that by following their advice (and eschewing that tedious non-meal, brunch), you can save the world. This hosting handbook offers advice on everything from how to stock a bar and prepare an irreproachable peperonata to rules of engagement for the main course: conversation. “It’s kind of like a U.N. summit,” they maintain, “if the agenda included both Middle East crisis management and the social value of superhero movies. And if a couple of diplomats made out in the bathroom.” $25, Little, Brown and Company

Chocolate Bars From Way Afar

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

Chocolate Bars From Way Afar

To get to the region of Zamora, near the Amazon rain forest in Ecuador, you must take a plane, a car and a boat. For bean-to-bar chocolate maker Shawn Askinosie, it’s worth it. People have harvested cacao in this place for thousands of years, and it’s the source of the beans for Askinosie’s latest bar, the 72% single-origin Zamora Amazonia. The flavor is deep and dark, with a haunting hint of black cherry. $9, askinosie.com—Gabriella Gershenson

Unevening Shoes

F. Martin Ramin/ The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

Unevening Shoes

Who said both shoes in a pair must look exactly alike? These strappy sandals from Calvin Klein 205W39NYC sparkle asymmetrically in a way the nonconformist on your list might find kindred. One strip of crystals emboldens an ankle strap while another glittery row traces a toe strap. The detailing is impressive: Some 266 shiny stones are hand-set on python or suede, in black (shown), white or burgundy; 4-inch spike heels let her rise above the more routinely shod. $1,495, calvinklein.com

A Surfboard For Sloths

Mako

A Surfboard For Sloths

Any thrillseeker chasing that next adrenaline rush would love to find a new surfboard jammed under the tree. And this one doesn’t even need a great swell to deliver: The Mako Slingshot comes equipped with a 100cc two-stroke engine that can propel riders across waveless water at up to 34 mph and can be steered simply with one handle. Each one-of-a-kind board is custom-made with high-grade carbon fiber. From $9,800, makoboardsports.com

Snail Sophistication

F. Martin Ramin/ The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

Snail Sophistication

Escargots—bite-size, delectable and very old-school-French, not to mention highly sustainable—should be nowhere near as scarce as they are on today’s tables. Encourage their revival with these uniquely adorable vintage stoneware escargot pots from France. Each one fits a single snail, along with the requisite garlic and butter. The set of 12 comes packed in a gift box along with a recipe card for the escargot initiate. $55, lavierustic.com

Accessories in 18th-Century Leather

F. Martin Ramin/ The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

Accessories in 18th-Century Leather

In 1786, a Danish ship crashed off the southern coast of England. On board were stacks of oil-cured Russian reindeer leather, a rarity beloved for its cross-grained texture and deep chestnut hue. Over a century later, divers discovered the submerged 18th-century brigantine and its surprisingly well-preserved leather cargo, which today has been put to good use in card cases and wallets by the venerable British shoemaker and accessories company George Cleverley. Each item is stamped “1786” as a reminder of its storied past. Wallet, $500, and Card Case, $395, George Cleverley, 44-207-493-0443—Jacob Gallagher

My Favorite Entirely Common Thing

My Favorite Entirely Common Thing

“Lego. I want the Lego Star Wars Millennium Falcon first and foremost. Unfortunately, I don’t know if I’ll have the shelf space for it once I’m finished.”
— Hideo Kojima, Designer of the influential ‘Metal Gear’ videogame series

A Novel Knot

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

A Novel Knot

Niyi Okuboyejo never makes the same tie twice. The Nigerian native, who founded menswear brand Post Imperial, works with artisans in his homeland who hand-dye cotton using adire, an ancient Yoruba dyeing technique. The result: a cross between Japanese indigo printing and hippie tie-dye. Even the “best mistakes” (which occur when the dye goes rogue) look striking, said Mr. Okuboyejo. Each tie is an original, just like the guy who gets it. $125, post-imperial.com—Gabriella Gershenson

A Syrup Made From Baby Pine Cones

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

A Syrup Made From Baby Pine Cones

Ideal for mixologists who think they have everything: Mugolio syrup from Primitivizia, a rich concoction that is crafted from baby pine cones foraged in the Dolomite Alps. Barkeeps Jeila Farzaneh and Nathan Venard of Diamond Lil in Brooklyn use it for an evergreen take on the Bramble. In a shaker of ice, they combine 2 ounces gin, ¾ ounce lemon juice, ½ ounce Suze liqueur and ½ ounce pinecone-bud syrup, then shake vigorously and strain into a rocks glass of crushed ice. They top the drink with a drizzle of the syrup and festively garnish it with fresh red currants and a sprig of sage. The syrup makes a worthy mate for cheese and ice cream, too. $30, murrayscheese.com.—Gabriella Gershenson

Footwear Crafted Just for Him

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

Footwear Crafted Just for Him

Italian shoemaker Santoni customizes dress shoes much the way Nike ID does sneakers, by letting you specify the hues of various parts. Get together with the suave guy in your life and order a pair of Santoni’s double-monk straps, urging him to get creative with color (how about an emerald toe cap?) or smiling supportively if he stubbornly favors a safer approach (brown is always nice). You can add his initials on the insole, so your artist gets to sign his work. $1,050, santonishoes.com—J.G.

New Plant on the Block

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

New Plant on the Block

For indoor-greenery buffs, how about this new South African import with a distinctive personality? The chive-like leaves of Albuca spiralis (aka Frizzle Sizzle) look as though their tips have been wrapped around hot curlers. In late-spring, yellow and white star-shaped blooms appear and smell subtly of vanilla. “I love to find unusual plants,” Palm Beach landscape architect Keith Williams said. “This one looks like it was drawn by Dr. Seuss.” $17, logees.com—Cynthia Kling

Bark-itecture: A 1960s Dog House

Art Gray

Bark-itecture: A 1960s Dog House

Think outside the routine chew-toy stocking stuffer for your puppy. A circa-1960 cement doghouse by Swiss designer Willy Guhl, one of a handful made, will appeal to a medium-size mutt’s desire to escape both you and the elements. Plus, its mix of on-trend brutalism and skate-park curves is sure to make your guy feel like the Lord of Dogtown. $4,500, Inner Gardens, 310-838-8378—Tim Gavan

Vinegar That Tastes Like Summer in a Bottle

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

Vinegar That Tastes Like Summer in a Bottle

What if you could give the gift of summer, bottled? That’s what the masters at Huilerie Beaujolaise, a French maker of oils and vinegars, manage with this uncanny sweet-sour strawberry vinegar. Unlike pedestrian vinegars merely infused with a flavoring, this one begins with a base of strawberry juice, which gains bright acidity as it ferments, while its berry flavor intensifies. Use it as a dressing, or stir it into seltzer with a splash of simple syrup for a cocktail with no alcohol but lots of kick. $45, cookingdistrict.com—Gabriella Gershenson

Quilty As Charged

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

Quilty As Charged

All shirts make a journey—from cotton field to factory to store—but Emily Bode’s patch-worked button-ups chart an especially winding path. For her idiosyncratic shirts, the New York designer searches the globe for intriguing textiles, and this season’s versions are cut from 1940s-to-’60s-era quilt tops. Turns out, the tops were made from—surprise!—shirts. “Back then, it was a way of recycling,” said Ms. Bode, who continues that made-with-love tradition in reverse. $445, bodenewyork.com—Jacob Gallagher

The Rarest Nikes of Them All

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

The Rarest Nikes of Them All

Many of the fleetest of foot were not quick enough to grab Nike’s infamously scarce Vaporfly 4%. The ultralight running shoe—with an innovative carbon-infused nylon foot plate to guarantee speedier times—vaporized from stores upon release. Ask a millennial to help you search sneaker sites (if you’re willing to spend big) or check Nike’s website for info about when new shipments will drop. Track down a pair for the runner in your life and you can triumphantly flop in an easy chair. $250, nike.com

An Insider's Tour of Mexico City

Jimena Carranza

An Insider's Tour of Mexico City

Souvenir seekers in Mexico City tend to trawl the food markets and art bazaars. But if you want to plan a unique outing for a shrewder shopaholic, arrange a private “Emerging Design Scene” tour through Journey Mexico. Highlights include otherwise off-limits ateliers of elite fashion designers like Carla Fernandez (pictured) and those of rising artisans like jeweler Jennifer Musi, whose hand-forged silver rings and pendants are one-of-a-kind. Try to nab Alexandra Peeters, from the University Museum for Contemporary Art, as your guide. Full-day tour, $918 for two people, journeymexico.com

My Favorite Entirely Common Thing

My Favorite Entirely Common Thing

"Without duct tape or “scrim-backed pressure- sensitive tape” (its official name), life in space would be chaos! This distant cousin to Velcro (also an accomplished space traveler) keeps tools from wandering off and holds our food to our “table” while we’re eating."
—Scott Kelly, Retired astronaut and author of ’Endurance: A Year In Space, a Lifetime of Discovery’ (Knopf)

Sleep Like A Raja

SUJÁN

Sleep Like A Raja

Is there someone on your list with royal taste? Consider gifting him or her a stay at an Indian palace hotel. But don’t settle for just any opulent pile, overstuffed with dusty tapestries and antiques. The 18th-century Suján Rajmahal in Jaipur, an erstwhile Maharajah residence, reopened its doors in 2015 after a playful reboot. Each of the 14 suites, awash in fuchsia, violet and royal blue, and countless wallpaper prints, looks entirely distinct. And many are named for former pedigreed guests, including Jackie O. and Queen Elizabeth. How’s that for royal cred? From $930 a night, sujanluxury.com/raj-mahal/—Sarah Khan

A Stocking Stuffer From the Sea

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

A Stocking Stuffer From the Sea

For a fishy gift of hospitality, serve up seafood as they do in Spain and Portugal: straight from the can. La Brújula of Galicia, Spain, and Portugal’s José Gourmet offer premium-quality, locally caught fish in tins, ready to eat and far more rarefied than Chicken of the Sea. La Brújula’s buttery ventresca (what’s known as toro at the sushi bar) or José’s mackerel in olive oil will instantly elevate a Triscuit. La Brújula’s razor clams make ordinary garlicky linguine a dinner party dish. And the tins are certainly pretty enough to stuff stockings with. From $8, wixtermarket.com—Gabriella Gershenson

An Unbeatable Beetle

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal

An Unbeatable Beetle

Measuring 3 feet bumper-to-bumper, this handmade 1960s wicker Volkswagen Beetle, one of only a few made, will make a classy addition to any kid’s room or rev engines among the gearhead set as a living-room objet. And while your recipient won’t get pulled over for trying to drive this bug after that third eggnog, don’t blame us if the rattan can’t support his or her winter weight. Vintage Oversize Wicker VW Beetle Car, $980, chairish.com—Tim Gavan

Expressionistic AirPods

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

Expressionistic AirPods

Apple’s wireless AirPods (compatible with iPhone 5 and up, including the new X) are very in the air. Make a standard gift standout by creating a unique pair for your gadget-geek cousin. Each bud can be custom-painted one of 58 colors in glossy and matte finishes. Add a custom charging case to cement your status as this season’s favorite relative. From $299, colorware.com

Not Your Average Puzzle

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

Not Your Average Puzzle

Once this Geode Puzzle is unwrapped, your giftee can grab some cocoa and cozy up with it for some divertingly vexing fun. Formulated from unique, computer-generated algorithms using laser printing, its 180 intricate birch-plywood pieces form an 8.5-inch image of a dazzling geode slice. New versions, from mint green to magenta and pink, are released each week. With almost no straight edges and some pieces enveloped by others, it may take more than a holiday afternoon to complete. $60, n-e-r-v-o-u-s.com—Priya Krishna

A Handmade Animalito

F. Martin Ramin/ The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

A Handmade Animalito

They may not be from the North Pole (or Russia—see "Dasher, Not Dancer"), but these 12-inch reindeer can haul plenty of holiday spirit. The women of Mexico’s San Juan Chamula use scraps of wool leftover from making pillows and bags to hand-stitch together “animalitos.” The remote mountain village is known for raising sheep for textiles, and for the furry wool skirts and pants the indigenous people wear. Collectivo, a group of Portland women, imports the fuzzy figurines. $42, ourcollectivo.com—Abbey Crain

Bejeweled Marsupials

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

Bejeweled Marsupials

Though the animals typically travel two by two in the new Noah’s Ark-inspired collection of clips from Van Cleef & Arpels, you get three kangaroos in this bouncy set. Notice the baby roo poking out of the pouch of his gem-encrusted mother; like her mate, she’s set in 18k yellow gold and crafted from diamonds, yellow sapphires, spessartite garnets and cabochon-cut black spinels. Act fast (each piece is one-of-a-kind) or you may end up with sparkly giraffes or mere bejeweled monkeys. Brooch Set, $260,000, Van Cleef & Arpels, 212-896-9284—Marshall Heyman

Get an Edge

David Chow for The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

Get an Edge

Knife maker Galen Garretson of Town Cutler works with customers in the same way a coach might examine a runner’s form to recommend the right shoe. Once he’s made his assessment, he hand-forges the knife, customizing the weight and flexibility to fit the individual cook’s needs. From the type of steel and bevel of the blade to the variety of foraged petrified wood used to make the handle, each of Mr. Garretson’s knives is unique, just like the hand that will wield it. From $340, towncutler.com—Eleanore Park

The Pompom, Elevated

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

The Pompom, Elevated

More commonly associated with cheer squads and bunny slopes, the pompom takes on a refined mien in these coveted souvenir blankets, hand-woven by a family in northern Morocco. The blankets, a restrained riff on the pompom-trimmed straw hats the local Berber women create, are sold—along with other small-batch Moroccan housewares—by Anajam Home, which stocks just 20 at any given time in its showroom in Fez or the city’s Palais Amani hotel. Not heading to Morocco anytime soon? Gift an IOU and preorder (with six to eight weeks for delivery). Pete Pom Pom Blanket, from about $220, anajamhome.com

My Favorite Entirely Common Thing

My Favorite Entirely Common Thing

“Nails. With three stores and an apartment, I’m always moving things around—artwork, mirrors—always hammering. And twice a year we exhibit at the Javits Center gift show, where we use a billion nails. At home, I have a bunch in different sizes in a silver dish. In a year, I probably use 450 nails.”
—John Derian, Home-décor maker and purveyor

A Primordial Pillow

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

A Primordial Pillow

“When I first laid eyes and hands on this technique I was instantly reminded of parched desert formations and prehistoric fossil patterns,” said Annie Selke of the hand-pleated, -stitched and -appliquéd rosettes she incorporated into this pillow design. Once embellished, the textile is dyed and acid-washed to create a distinctive paleolithic appearance. Give the surprisingly touchable 35-inch cushion to your friend who gripes that craftsmanship has gone the way of the dinosaurs. Pilani Natural Decorative Pillow, $230, annieselke.com—Tim Gavan

Two Can Play At This Game

David Chow for The Wall Street Journal

Two Can Play At This Game

In the Cold War era, attaché cases concealed spies’ secrets. This more frivolous valise—of which only 50 are available—discreetly hides a private videogame arcade for two. Swedish designer Love Hulten’s portable console is handcrafted of American walnut, features old-school buttons and comes preloaded with 100 classic games—including Contra, Gauntlet and Street Fighter II. (You can add up to 10,000 more.) Each collectible unit can be customized with a mother-of-pearl inlay design. About $3,000, lovehulten.com